A/N: Hello!~

A nice long fighting-oriented chapter here; lots of action, and some powers revealed.

Also! As a recommendation for those who enjoy listening to music when reading (I write with certain songs in mind), Chad's theme is The Legacy by Black Veil Brides. His official fighting theme song for this story. I haven't put an authors note (in bold) where the song 'starts', although if that'd work better lemme know.

I DO NOT OWN RWBY OR BLEACH

Arc 2: Invasion Arc

Chapter 11: The Vale

Osaka.

It was one of the several other outpost settlements around The Vale, closer to the northern side. It was easily several times larger than all of Karakura and often one of the main hosts for various celebrations or events, possessing a beautiful array of flora within its walls and a multitude of peaceful attractions. Serenity was a good word to describe the large settlement. It was also the settlement closest to the northern entrance, the Black Ridge Gate - one of the four giant gates around The Vale that were made from the same Sekkiseki as the walls, making it an impenetrable fortress.

Ichigo sighed, idly running a hand through his orange hair as he walked alongside his friends through the streets of Osaka. Yoruichi sat upon his shoulder giving directions as they headed towards the meeting point, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't anxious. It hadn't dawned on him until now, mostly because he wasn't thinking beyond 'save Ruby'... but the challenge of infiltrating The Vale and rescuing Ruby seemed more intimidating than before. He thought back to when he fought Qrow; how the man had managed to defeat him without even releasing his Shikai, use Kido or even use Shunpo.

Three hits was all it took for him to be injured critically, and he probably would've died from blood loss if Urahara hadn't found him.

It was frightening, honestly. That man was in possession of Bankai, yet didn't even need to use his Shikai to defeat him without effort. Even with his current strength he was doubtful he could face up against the man in his Shikai, let alone his Bankai. Urahara's warning about facing Captains lingered in the back of his mind, including the one about Summer Rose. From the way Ruby described her, she wasn't that much different than how his own mother, Masaki, was. Yet from the way Urahara spoke of her, it was like she was a snake in the grass. He wasn't sure what to think about her anymore, though unless he met her he would withhold judgement.

He was drawn from his musings as he realised they weren't walking down the main streets anymore, but were instead walking down a side-street that led towards a river, a few older-styled homes dotted about. They ended up walking for several minutes before reaching a curve in the river, a somewhat larger old-style house sitting on the curve. It was of similar designs as other buildings of its kind, although the large stone arms holding up a banner that said 'Shiba Household' was a bit odd.

He heard a snort from the back of his head. He found himself agreeing.

''This is the place.'' Yoruichi informed, much to the surprise of the four teens.

''...this, is the place?'' Ishida reiterated, gesturing flatly to the building.

Yoruichi just huffed. ''Of course. The Shiba family have been in charge of fireworks for centuries, and even after they lost their nobility they still produce and utilise them.''

''That's nice and all, but what does it have to do with getting into The Vale?'' Ichigo asked.

''They'll be the ones doing the distracting.'' Yoruichi revealed, hopping off his shoulder and strutting up to the front doors.

In an instant they slid open, revealing two large men with muscled frames surpassing even Chad's, standing in the doorway. Their narrow eyes glared at the group, with their thin eyebrows and moustaches giving them a rather intimidating appearance.

''Yo, Koganehiko, Shiroganehiko.''

That intimidation was swiftly thrown out the window as both men fell to their knees in a bow, twin shouts of 'Greetings, Yoruichi-sama!' muffled due to the fact their faces were pressed into the floorboards. With a bewildered look, Ichigo only had one thought in mind:

He wasn't so sure of this plan anymore...

Five minutes and more eccentric behaviour later, the four teens found themselves in a flat field out behind the household.

Oh, and standing before them was a massive six-storey cannon.

''Please don't tell me you're firing us into The Vale with that thing...'' Ichigo deadpanned, turning to stare at the one-armed woman in the field before them.

Kūkaku Shiba, the current head of the family, or what was left of it. She was a lot more than the teen was expecting, and was a strange blend of lazy and aggressive, bantering with Yoruichi one moment then punching her younger brother the next. Her messy black hair and half-lidded green eyes gave the impression she had only just woken up, not helped by her state of dress... or undress, given her loose red top and ivory skirt.

''Of course not.'' Kūkaku scoffed. ''You brats are walking there, I'm just gonna fire some shit at the barrier to piss some people off.''

Ishida quirked a brow. ''Then why are we here, instead of just going to the gate?''

''Because our inside man is here waiting for us.'' Yoruichi smirked, directing his gaze to the house. ''Isn't that right, Arc-kun?''

On cue the shoji door slid open, revealing a sheepish young man clad in a Shihakusho. His messy blonde hair was short and spiky, cobalt eyes glancing around him nervously. The obi sash around his waist was a cherry blossom pink colour, signifying his position as a member of the Pink Division, though lacked a haori or badge, meaning he wasn't a Captain nor Lieutenant. At the back of his mind Ichigo swore he recalled the name Arc from somewhere, but couldn't place a finger on it.

''Hello, Third Seat Jaune Arc at your service.'' The young man greeted, attempting a charming smile. ''Short, sweet, and ladies love it!''

Inoue blinked, tilting her head. ''Do they?''

Jaune faltered. ''Er... well... sometimes?''

Despite his uncertain response, Inoue smiled brightly. ''Well I like it, Arc-san!''

The blonde Shinigami blushed, but before any more words could be exchanged Yoruichi interrupted. ''As amusing as this is, we still have a mission to do. Kūkaku, how long until you've got the cannon ready?''

''Eh... twenty minutes?'' Kūkaku shrugged nonchalantly.

''Well then we best get going, double time.'' Yoruichi concluded, leaping up and landing on Chad's shoulders. ''Come, we don't have time to waste!''

''H-Hai!'' The group called out in unison, following after Jaune as he took the lead.

It took nearly twenty minutes, with Shunpo, to reach their destination. They might've gotten there sooner had they not run into a small pack of Beowolves, who Ishida paused to eliminate and ended up chasing one for a full minute. A swift scratch from Yoruichi got him back on track. They had passed by a few other groups of Shinigami, namely ones with orange or blue obi sashes, but none of them had stopped them thankfully.

Ichigo came to a skidding stop as he exited out of another burst of Shunpo, breathing slightly heavier from the exertion, much better than Inoue and Chad who were panting lightly. Ishida barely seemed winded, though that was more due to training the longest out of all of them. Jaune was the only one who didn't even looked slightly winded from continuously using Shunpo. Before the group stood a giant - and he really did emphasise the word giant - gate, easily several hundred feet tall. It was like being a mouse looking up at a human.

The gate was manned by a small group of Shinigami who stood inside an almost comically small metal guard station, looking completely and utterly bored out of their minds. They perked up when the group began to approach, one of them scrambling in the background and snatching up haphazardly placed papers, tidying up the place in a few seconds. It would've been impressive had it not all collapsed a moment after the Shinigami tidied it up.

While the small detachment of guards greeted them, Ichigo's mind was elsewhere. 'Didn't Urahara-san mention the Shinigami live at the centre of the city?'

''Correct.'' Quincy Zangetsu affirmed. ''You will most likely need to get there as fast as possible, lest you get caught up fighting amongst the civilians.''

'Great.' The teen grimaced. He hoped he could get to the Red Division quickly, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy. Especially if he had to avoid its apparently dangerous Captain. 'Maybe I can use Shunpo and... Hirenkyaku, was it?'

''A wise idea, but unfortunately you lack enough skill to mix the two techniques together.'' His partner informed. ''Given time you might, but as of now you do not. It would certainly be a frightening combination.''

'Another thing on the to-do list.' He mused dryly.

The teen turned his attention back to his surroundings as they began moving, walking under the ginormous gate that was opened only a few feet tall, easily big enough for an Ursa to fit through. The group walked through, passing by another group of guards on the other side of the gate before walking towards the city itself. From his perspective it didn't look much different than Karakura Town, except maybe there was more tall buildings, but otherwise was relatively the same.

They were about to continue towards the city, only for a sudden presence before them to cause them pause. A figure landed before them from a burst of Shunpo, clad in the trademark black Shihakusho, bearing an orange obi sash around his waist and a Zanpakuto at his hip. His dark skin was marred with a few faint scratches, indicating he must've recently come from a fight, with his dark brown (almost purple) hair dishevelled slightly and kept in a low ponytail. A puffy orange scarf was around his neck and kept his ponytail in place, and a pair of goggles hid his eyes from view. His Reiatsu was carefully controlled, but even a novice could tell that both Jaune and the man were equal in strength.

''Tōsen-san?'' Jaune blinked in surprise. ''Did you just get back?''

''Hai.'' The man nodded. ''Grimm activity has surged greatly since yesterday. Captain Kyoraku is considering going out himself to help speed things up.''

''Eh? A Captain going out? That's-''

Whatever the young man was going to say was cut off as, with a loud bang, a firework went off overhead. There wasn't anything attention-grabbing about it, had several fireworks not directly struck the barrier with even louder eruptions, creating ominous ripples across it. One firework, against all odds, somehow managed to go through the barrier, exploding into a large black cat design above them. Nobody needed to guess where she got her inspiration from.

''...Shiba-san is at it again.'' Jaune said flatly, as if this wasn't the first time this had happened.

''The Captains won't be pleased.'' Tōsen agreed with a hum. ''I came to inform you that we have been tasked with covering our Divisions, as the Captains are about to have a meeting and the Lieutenants are already in one.''

''Got it.'' The blonde Shinigami sighed, glancing at the group of disguised teens. ''Can you guys make it back to the Division safely?''

Ishida nodded. ''Of course.''

''Then I'll see you later then.'' Jaune smiled, nodding to Tōsen. ''Stay safe, Tōsen-san.''

''I hope you will do the same.'' The man inclined his head in a nod, eyes glancing over the group... lingering on Ichigo for a moment longer, before he vanished in a burst of Shunpo, followed by the Arc teen.

The group remained there for a few moments before continuing towards the inner parts of The Vale, determination crossing their faces as they recalled their objectives.

So lost in thought none of them saw the figure watching from the shadows.

''Dammit, this place is like a maze...''

Ichigo scowled as he wandered down another street, briefly glancing up for any signs only to see none. He was definitely within the inner part of the city; Yoruichi had confirmed that to him before the group had split ways, but where he wasn't sure. He had asked a few passing Shinigami, acting the part of a lost newcomer, only to be vaguely pointed in the general direction before they carried on their way. He was probably getting close.

Little did the teen know he was going in the opposite direction.

Just as the teen was about to flicker into a burst of Shunpo, a sudden mental weight caused him to pause, said weight joined by a voice a moment later. [''Shinigami of the Twelve Divisions, this is Captain Sōsuke Aizen. We are being invaded by covert forces, approximately two dozen or so. I am currently locked in battle with one of them, and he has eluded that they are all at the level of a Fourth Seat or higher, so I advise caution. They claim to be from outside The Vale and in possessing of Shinigami powers, and in disguise among us-'']

The transmission(?) suddenly cut off with a gasp, apparently eluding to the fact the Captain was injured. However the sudden message aside, what befuddled him was that one of them was fighting a Captain. They had been explicitly ordered not to fight a Captain, and Ishida was the only one who might go against that order - but why would he fight against a Captain-class opponent, when he himself clearly wasn't. Something was amiss with the situation, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

''It doesn't make sense.'' He muttered irritably. ''Ishida isn't stupid, he wouldn't fight a Captain on his own... something isn't right here.''

''I concur.''

He had all of one second to leap to the side, narrowly avoiding a pale blue bolt of lightning that pierced the ground where he had been standing a moment ago. His eyes darted up to the figure standing upon the wall, their petite figure donning the same Shihakusho every other Shinigami wore, this time with a cyan-coloured obi sash. Her platinum blonde hair, almost silver, was done up in an off-centre ponytail with a small silver tiara-like piece holding it in place. Her pale skin matched the tone of her hair, cool icy blue eyes staring down at him accusingly. A Zanpakuto rested at her hip, the snow-white hilt adorned with blue crystalline snowflakes.

''I'm assuming you're one of the... covert invaders, Captain Aizen spoke of?'' The pale girl questioned crisply.

''Maybe I am, maybe I'm not.''

Her eyes narrowed. ''I'm not in the mood for games, Ryoka.''

He didn't know what that meant, but he assumed it was an insult.

''Who are you?'' Ichigo asked, drawing his Zanpakuto, which almost thrummed with anticipation.

''Third Seat of the Cyan Division, Weiss Schnee.'' The now-named Weiss declared, drawing her own Zanpakuto in a flash. ''I don't know why you chose to invade The Vale, but my Captain or Captain Branwen will be willing to extort that information from you.''

The teens lips quirked up into a thin smile. ''I've got a bone to pick with the latter already, thank you very much.''

''Is that so? I pray for you success, Ryoka.'' Weiss remarked, sarcasm dripping from her tongue like acid.

He intended to add a sarcastic remark of his own, had she not suddenly disappeared in a burst of Shunpo. He spun around, a resounding clang of steel echoing throughout the deserted street as their blades clashed. The stunned surprise in her eyes make him grin as he used his superior strength to push her back, sweeping in low only for that attack to be narrowly blocked by the petite Shinigami.

''You know, I sparred with Ruby back before she was imprisoned.'' Ichigo revealed after a moment of deadlock.

Platinum eyebrows disappeared above her hairline. ''Is that so?''

''Yeah...'' He smirked.

''And she was much faster.''

This time it was he who disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, once again taking the petite Shinigami off-guard. She barely managed to spin around to block the slash at her back, perfectly copying the move she attempted to use on him. A sudden twist of the body left her off-balance and was unable to block the slash at her side, cutting a deep gash along her ribs, igniting both pain... and wrath.

Weiss vanished in a burst of Shunpo, appearing above the teen. ''Hado #33: Sokatsui!''

A plume of luminescent flames surged down towards the teen, erupting violently and scorching the street with the intensity of the flames. Ichigo leapt out of the smoke with minor burns, launching towards the Shinigami. His blade crashing against Weiss' as the duo entered a frenzied fight, swords flashing as they flickered back and forth, narrowly stopping short of hitting their target every time.

As their blades clashed once more his Zanpakuto glowed a faint blue, causing the petite Shinigami's eyes to widen before she was engulfed in a crescent of blue energy. The resulting explosion was thrice that of her Sokatsui, shattering nearby windows and cracking concrete with the force. Weiss was sent flying away, her lithe form crashing into one of the walls, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. For a few moments, everything was silent, making the teen hope the battle was over, regardless of how short it was.

His hope was shot down as he heard a chilling voice echo from the dust cloud.

''Descend... Shimo!''

A gust of chilling wind blew through the street, dispelling the dust and briefly blinding him. When he could see again he stared in surprise at the petite Shinigami, now wielding a rapier-esque sword. It looked like it was made from pure ice; teal in colour and equally fragile, yet with a frighteningly sharp tip. The wielder didn't look to be in the best shape either; blood ran down her cheek from an unseen head wound, and her ribs were bleeding profusely. Oh, and she looked pissed.

''To have to release my Shikai so soon...'' Weiss scowled, flicking her blade to the side. ''Be grateful you got to see it, Ryoka, because you won't be leaving here victorious.''

Ichigo smiled thinly. ''We'll see about that.''

Her eyes flashed. ''Indeed we will...''

Weiss vanished in a flicker of Shunpo, appearing before the teen and striking out with a flurry of swift jabs towards him. He deflected each one with greater and greater difficult, barely able to keep up with the sudden skyrocket in speed. His blade glowed again as he prepared to unleash another crescent of Reiryoku, only for the petite Shinigami to knock his blade aside at the last moment, directing the majority of the explosion off to the side and destroying a building in the process. The loud rumbling crash it made could probably be heard for miles, and the dust cloud that was kicked up didn't help matters.

Still, it only enforced his desire to end this fight quickly. He took off in a burst of Shunpo, landing above her and swinging down with both hands on the hilt, shattering her ice-like blade into numerous shards. She looked surprised... only for a smirk to cross her face a moment later.

''Fuyu no Kiba.'' She uttered with an almost prideful smirk as the fragments of ice froze, before shooting towards him like bullets. A choked gasp escaped him as no less than a dozen razor-sharp shards pierced his torso before he could fully evade. It wasn't unlike having a dozen knives stabbed into - he'd know, given the cocky thugs he'd fought carried said knives.

The shards dissolved into Reishi a moment later, and much to his surprise he found Weiss holding an identical sword as before in her hands, her smirk not wavering in the slightest and absolutely radiating smug satisfaction. He scowled as he stood up straight, briefly debating summoning his Hollow mask before dismissing the idea - it was a secret weapon and it'd be pointless if he wasted it against a Third Seat, opposed to a Captain-level opponent. His Quincy powers were also off the table; he wasn't skilled enough for them to make any meaningful difference.

He would've released his Shikai. If he wasn't confident he could win this fight in one blow, that is.

Ichigo flickered away, clashing with the pale girl once more and putting all his effort into attack, ignoring the small wounds he slowly gained. His body went on autopilot as they fought, occasionally flickering away in Shunpo in an attempt to get the jump on their opponent. Unknown to his opponent he had an objective in mind, and it showed. Every time they clashed her blade cracked a little bit further, slowly regenerating but not quick enough.

He saw his chance a moment later as he swung in an uppercut, his blade knocking hers up and shattering everything past the hilt. He saw her lips curve up into another smirk, felt the faint flare of power from her as the ice froze mid-air, shooting towards him. He did nothing but grunt as they impaled him, a savage grin crossing his face as she noticed something wrong. Her pale blue eyes flickered up to his blade, held overhead in a two-handed grip, and she realised her mistake.

He swung down.

''Getsuga Tenshō.''

And the street was engulfed in light.

Chad came to an abrupt stop as he saw the explosion.

Instantly he knew it was Ichigo, without a doubt. Ishida was more precision-reliant and Inoue wasn't he type of cause mass destruction - and mass destruction it was, with several storage building collapsing from the shockwave and windows having shattered in at least two blocks around the site of the explosion. The muscled teen could only hope his friend was alright - especially after that disturbing mental message he, and presumably everyone in the Twelve Divisions, received.

Almost idly the teen punched through another wall with sheer strength, noting it looked to be a clothes storage room (there seemed to be a lot of those...) before crashing through the adjacent wall, ending up in another identical street with slightly different buildings. Most of the Shinigami he had come across so far were... pretty poor, he had to admit. They simply did not compare to Yoruichi, despite the latter being a cat. Didn't mean said cat wasn't as quick as lightning, if not faster.

He paused as he entered another miscellaneous street, something about it just feeling off. He found his answer a moment later as a figure appeared above it from a burst of Shunpo, looking around before their lilac eyes landed on him, a grin coming to their face. Long blonde hair fell down their back wildly, standing out clearly against the black of her Shihakusho, concealing her voluptuous figure. A yellow obi sash was wrapped around her waist and an orange infinity scarf laid at her neck, an amber-hilted Zanpakuto sheathed over her back like how Ichigo wore it. He tensed at the sight of a badge on her bicep, adorning a yellow sun and clearly indicating her rank.

It was her Reiatsu, however, that made him wary. The emotions within were not hard to discern; excitement, happiness, eagerness. It would've been almost innocent had it not been for the burning passion in her eyes, blunting saying she intended to fight him. He had seen that look many times, and he knew to be wary of it. A poor fighter fought to become strong, while an expert fighter fought for fun. It didn't help his nerves that her Reiryoku was greater than his.

''Hey!'' The Lieutenant grinned, waving at him cheerfully. ''You one of the invaders?''

''...Hai.'' Chad affirmed, slowly reaching over his shoulder to his Zanpakuto, eyes never leaving hers.

Her grin only grew. ''Great, I was looking for someone to spar with!''

He blinked, but didn't have time to ponder her odd comment before she suddenly vanished in a flicker of Shunpo. The soft whisper of steel resounded through the empty street, echoing... before with a resounding clang their blades crashed against one another. A surprised grunt escaped him at the force behind her swing. Clearly she was stronger than her form let on.

Their blades clashed with slow but heavy strikes, each attempting to gain ground on the other as they subtle shifted their stances, scoring additional hits on the other, not that either of them cared. The girl was more aggressive and wild, while Chad was defensive and precise.

Chad surprised her when he suddenly threw his free fist forwards, striking her right in the face and sending her flying backwards, crashing into a wall and crumbling it in on her. He winced when part of the building collapsed inwards, saying a silent apology before turning and running back towards his destination. He didn't want to fight if he could help it, especially someone of such high rank.

It didn't seem like he'd get the option though, he mused as a golden aura flared from the rubble.

He turned and raised his blade, narrowly blocking and frighteningly strong slash that sent him skidding back a few feet, allowing him a moment to see his opponent. His attack hadn't done much, although there was hints of a bruise developing on her cheek and her hair had a few pieces of grit in it, which she picked out almost idly. Despite his attack she didn't even seem angry... she seemed happy, if anything.

''Heh, you've got a strong punch.'' She flashed an almost trademark grin. ''Names Yang Xiao Long, Lieutenant of the Yellow Division. You?''

''Yasutora Sado.'' The dark skinned teen nodded in greeting.

Yang grinned wider. ''Well Sado-san, I think it's time we cut loose, eh?''

He was about to decline, but never got the chance as she spoke first. ''Ignite, Hinote!''

The golden aura from before returned, flaring forth like a bonfire and increasing in temperature, becoming a very realistic fire. The ground beneath her was slowly tinged a black colour from the heat as her Zanpakuto glowed a golden yellow, splitting into two balls of light and reforming on her hands, melting around them like molten steel. Despite the heat she showed no discomfort as the rapidly morphed, solidifying and becoming a pair of yellow gauntlets. The smooth metal covered her forearms all the way to the elbow, looking visibly durable and holding small embers of fire along it, sticking to it before dispersing away.

With a backwards jerk of her arms the gauntlets clicked, as if setting into place as the metal glowed a faint yellow colour. ''You got anything yourself, Sado-san? I'd hate for this to turn one-sided so soon.''

Chad sighed silently. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but he was clearly outclassed here. Even on a guess he was willing to bet she had more control over her Shikai than he did his, and he doubted she would let him run now.

''...show her our power, Onii-san.'' A young boys voice spoke in his head, settling the choice for him.

He held his blade out - a blade that was considerably longer than a katana, closer to an Odachi in length - as a faint blue aura built up around him. He felt a familiar power build up within him, resonating with his Zanpakuto in unison.

''Stand Tall, Brazo Derecho de Gigante.''

His declaration was followed by an eruption of Reiatsu, blue energy exploding around him. His Zanpakuto morphed, becoming a Reiryoku-like substance as it flew to his right arm, coating it from the shoulder to his fingertips, setting in seconds and revealing the form of his Shikai. It was remarkably similar to Yang's, except his wasn't a gauntlet - it was like a mould that covered his entire arm. It was mostly black in colour with a streak of magenta down the middle, with two large fins at the shoulder and two smaller ones by his wrist.

''Huh, both of us have fist-y type Zanpakuto, what are the chances?'' Yang commented in surprise. ''Odd name too... don't think I've ever heard of something like it.''

''It's Vacuan.'' He informed, causing her eyes to widen.

''Vacuan? You mean the dead language from the west?''

''Mm. My ancestors lived there, before it fell.'' Chad affirmed. It was a long, long time ago when Vacuo fell. Longer than before the east fell - easily two or three millennia ago.

''...Huh.'' Yang blinked, before roughly shaking her head and regaining her grin. ''Eh, it doesn't matter. C'mon, let's get started!''

Chad grunted an agreement, meeting the blonde halfway, crashing his fist into her gauntlet-clad one. The difference in their strength became abruptly apparent as she was sent skidding backwards from the blow with a look of surprise, but was unable to comment on it as he rushed her, swinging his fist towards her once more. She dodged, watching in awe as his fist crashed into the ground, shattering it and creating a crater from the impact alone.

''Ha, you're strong!'' Yang grinned, ducking under another punch and throwing out an uppercut, causing the teen to grunt as he stumbled back from the blow.

''...So are you.'' He murmured, batting aside her haymaker and slamming his fist into the concrete, upsetting her balance and allowing him to strike her with his non-armoured fist. It wasn't as powerful, but would certainly leave a bruise.

He was brought to a halt as she abruptly cocked a fist at him, firing a small flaming projectile that struck him in the torso, sending him stumbling back. It stung, but did little else. Yang seemed surprised by that, blinking owlishly before getting her head back in the game, charging at him once more. Yet even as they continued to fight, a musing thought came to mind.

'Does my Shikai have an ability, Brazo Derecho de Gigante?'

''...Hai... you become stronger... tougher... and you can use that.''

'I will keep it in mind.'

''Head out of the clouds, big guy!''

Chad's eyes widened before he was abruptly struck with a fist to the gut with much greater force than before, bypassing whatever buff his Shikai gave him. The force was great enough to send him flying head over heels down the street, a grimace adorning his face as he skidded across the concrete. He managed to slow himself down and flip to his feet, only to be knocked back as the blonde crashed into him, slamming her fist into his face and sending him into a building.

He couldn't say he had been thrown into a building before, but he could say he didn't want to experience it again. Having dozens of sharp pointy objects slammed into his back was enough it made him think he broke something, and even with his enhanced durability it was agony. He withheld a gasp of pain as he sat up amongst the rubble, unable to see two feet in front of him because of the dust, said dust that got in his eyes. Despite the pain he pushed himself to his feet, slowly taking one step forward at a time until he got out of the dust cloud.

''You're pretty tough, y'know that?'' Yang commented, standing in the middle of the street, looking out of breath but otherwise fine. Aside from multiple bruises, that is. ''My Shikai makes me stronger for every hit I take. After thirty or so hits I could probably shatter a building with one hit, but you just keep going! I'm guessing you get something similar?''

''...something like that.'' Chad grunted. He wasn't about to reveal such information to her.

She seemed to pick up on that, given she pouted at him.

''You look dead on your feet, you sure you can keep going, Sado-san?'' She asked with a cock of the head, her grin becoming tame and slightly concerned. He wasn't sure if she was actually concerned or didn't want to lose a good opponent. He was willing to bet a bit of both.

''...yes.'' Was all he said, though wasn't so certain of it himself. His Reiryoku was running on the low end and the repeated blows to his body was becoming tiring, and from years of fighting he could tell his body would soon give in, even if his fighting spirit refused to.

The blonde smirked lightly. ''Let's end this in one hit then! Give it your all, big guy!''

He gave a weary smirk in return, calling upon all his remaining strength, everything he could get. He was grateful for her offer; even if he lost, he wouldn't go out quietly, and he didn't have the endurance to outlast her. His arm glowed a faint blue colour as he disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, the shoulder fins opening up to revealing a luminescent blue energy within them. Yang appeared before him, also having used Shunpo, her gauntlets glowing a blazing golden yellow, borderline amber colour.

In an instant their eyes met, and they threw forth their fists.

''El Directo!''

''Moyasu!''

Blinding blue met blazing yellow, colliding and erupting into a massive explosion, matching if not dwarfing Ichigo's earlier attack. The shockwave echoed throughout the air, letting all those nearby to know what happened, if they hadn't felt it first that is. A thick cloud of smoke polluted the air, the scent of charcoal lingering in the air. Slowly the cloud dispersed, revealing the two combatants.

Chad laid on his front, unconscious and with burns littering the majority of his torso, all of them second if not third degree burns. Smoke slowly rose from his body, the faintest of hissing noises coming from his unconscious form. Yang stood a few feet away, staring skyward with a face-splitting grin on he face, completely ignoring her right arm which was bruised, bleeding and completely limp. She didn't mind; it'd heal in a few days of intensive care, a week at most.

Her lilac eyes turned onto the unconscious teen, a light laugh escaping her.

'That was the most fun I've had in months!'

Ishida breathed in deeply, calming taking in more Reishi from the air around him as he continued to fire a barrage of Heilig Pfeils.

Around him were the numerous bodies of Shinigami, most of them from the Green Division, who had attempted to stop him. They were unsuccessful, although a few had managed to land a few hits on him, evidenced by the half a dozen slashes across his otherwise pristine uniform. Their speed was not to be underestimated.

It was certainly a challenge to continue to lay waste to an entire Division, and he felt a small amount of remorse whenever he saw some dragging their comrades away from the battle. He didn't stop them; he was here to distract, not to kill. And distracting he was; not one member of the Division fled to where Chad and Ichigo were, too afraid to leave their comrades alone to face the Quincy. The higher ranked Shinigami had attempted to stop him but he beat them with relative ease, though one or two had troublesome Shikai.

Ishida stopped for a moment as a new Reiatsu entered his senses, suppressed as if to hide it. It abruptly appeared behind him and he narrowly avoided being impaled upon a Zanpakuto, spinning around and firing a barrage of arrows at the attacker as he cleared some distance. The Shinigami was clearly a step above the rest, that much was clear from her Reiatsu, which was flared in anger. Her dusky rose-coloured hair was adorned with a grey beanie, hiding her left eye while the other grey-ish one glared at him. She didn't have a haori or badge, but was higher than the Fourth Seat... so that left the Third Seat.

''Are you done destroying my Division, Quincy-san?'' She asked, her expression blank yet tinged with anger; lips downturned and eyes narrowed. He wasn't intimidated.

''Not quite; give me a few more minutes.'' Ishida remarked sarcastically. He was rewarded with a bolt of Byakurai flying past his head, drilling a hole into the building behind him. ''Not even going to ask for my name, hm? I am Uryū Ishida, Quincy.''

''Third Seat of the Green Division, May Zedong.'' The now-named May replied coolly.

The duo stared at one another for a moment, neither saying a thing.

Abruptly the battle begun as the Shinigami disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, appearing behind the Quincy teen as fast as lightning. Her Zanpakuto descended swiftly, narrowly brushing past his cheek as he tilted out of the way, firing a flurry of arrows towards her and forcing space between them.

His eyes widened and he flickered away in a burst of Hirenkyaku as several balls of flames - Shakkaho, he noted - struck where he stood. The Third Seat lived up to her rank, flickering around their battlefield so fast he struggled to keep her within his line of sight, occasionally firing arrows to keep her at bay. She was smart; she didn't rush in and attempt to his him, but instead waited. He could keep fighting for as long as he had stamina, but even that would run out eventually. He needed to hit her hard while he had the chance... even if it meant playing dirty.

He saw his grim opportunity as a stray Shinigami crawled out from some rubble, dazedly stumbling in the general direction of the Green Division's barracks, which was adorned with holes where his arrows had struck repeatedly. He took aim for all of a second before firing an arrow straight towards the Shinigami. May appeared in its flight path, shattering the Reishi construct with a single swing of her blade, displeasure on her face as she looked around for him. She got her answer a moment later.

''Licht Regen!''

A literal storm of arrows came crashing down from above, not unlike pellets of rain as they crashed down in the hundreds, if not thousands. A thick cloud of dust erupted as the concrete beneath was cracked and shattered instantly from the barrage, the air filled with the sound of explosions. The attack lasted for only ten seconds, but the damage was clear without even needing to check - there was too many to be blocked and not enough time to dodge. He didn't wish ill upon the Third Seat, but he would not be surprised if she had perished from that attack. He squashed any remorse he felt; now was not the time for regret.

Panting lightly, Ishida landed atop a nearby rooftop, staring at the giant dust cloud easily standing seven storeys tall. Licht Regen was a simplistic but taxing technique; gathering a large amount of Reishi by the shoulder, and rapidly creating and firing arrows continuously. It usually lasted for as long as the user could draw in Reishi in a quick burst, not unlike how long a person could hold their breath. Shame he was forced to use it on-

''Phase, Yūrei.''

His eyes widened as a surge of Reiatsu erupted from within a cloud, before a silver projectile shot towards him. A gasp escaped the teen as it struck his shoulder, punching a hole straight through it and flying off into the distance. He stumbled back in surprise, one hand instinctively flying up to his shoulder, crimson running down from it. A quick inspection revealed it has missed an artery, but only just barely.

The teen tensed as a figure slowly walked out from the dust cloud, revealing a dishevelled May. Her beanie was torn in several places and her Shihakusho was adorned with several dozen holes, rendering it more tatters than anything. In her hand was a longsword that seemed to be made from silver, with a grey cross-guard that had black half-circles randomly dotted around it, with a short white tassel ribbon falling from the pommel. He noticed with curiosity that the tip of the blade seemed to be smoking... odd.

''That was impressive... Ishida-san.'' The Shinigami commented, her breathing noticeably laboured. ''But... I will not fall so easily.''

Ishida frowned. ''You're dead on your feet, Zedong-san.''

She grimaced, but didn't deny it.

Yet a second later she disappeared in a flash of Shunpo, instantly putting the teen on guard. He was nearly struck by a second silver projectile had he not disappeared with Hirenkyaku a moment later, his eyes looking for the source of the shot and by extension, May's location. He spotted a faint glint and rise of Reiatsu a few street away, before another projectile flew past where he once stood. A quick use of Hirenkyaku covered the distance, and he unleashed a barrage of arrows at close range. The Shinigami fled, pointing her blade at him and periodically firing small, condensed projectiles of silver Reiryoku.

He grimaced as another shot hit him, punching a hole straight through his thigh, skimming past anything major. 'It seems her Shikai allows her to fight at range better... but can she still fight at close range, in her state?'

He couldn't fight her at range, not like before. One shot of her projectile punched straight through him, and if that hit an artery, his major organs, spine or head, then he was as good as dead. His Blut was untrained; his grandfather never had the opportunity to teach him and his father had his powers sealed, and refused to teach him anything anyway. His arrows were whittling her down, but now that she had gone on the defensive and was constantly dodging erratically he couldn't get a good shot, and all hits were nicks at best.

With a silent sigh the teen reached inside his coat, withdrawing a small silver tube. A small insertion of his own Reiryoku caused a blade of pure Reishi to emerge, humming lowly and threateningly. He chased after the retreating Shinigami, who he noted was getting slower as their fight went on, most likely blood loss if anything. She spun around in time to block his slash, making him grimace at how sloppy it was. Perhaps it would've been a better idea to train with a sword before engaging a melee opponent...

He ducked under her swing, attempting to strike at her exposed ribs only to be blocked fluidly, her experience showing through as she suddenly took control of the fight, harshly pushing him back on the defensive. A mental string of curses escaped him as he backpedalled, sparks flying as their swords struck again and again, both sloppy - his because of incapability, and hers because of injury. He noticed a blind spot however; just to her left she would always be a moment late to react, most likely because her beanie covered that eye, preventing her peripheral vision. Her blade abruptly raced towards him and he swung his Reishi blade towards it-

''Phase.''

-only for blade to phase straight through his, cleanly arcing down his front and cutting a deep, sudden gash. His own blade also went unhindered, cleaving the lithe girl from shoulder to hip. In almost perfect unison they stumbled backwards from one another, a harsh cough-gasp escaping them. May fell back, wincing as she landed on rubble while Ishida's back hit a wall, supporting him if nothing else.

''Wh-what the hell?'' The teen coughed, grimacing at the bitter taste of copper. That hit had definitely struck something major.

''...my Zanpakuto's primary ability.'' May mumbled so lowly he almost missed it. ''It allows me to... make my blade incorporeal against... whatever object I choose... sword, stone, person... but it also means I can't block anything from it...''

''Then why d-did you use it?'' Ishida asked, part curious and part stalling for time - not that either were in any condition to continue. He had to get out of here, fast.

''...I got careless. I forgot I couldn't block.'' She explained, tired exasperation tinting her tone, followed by a groan of pain.

He didn't respond, instead utilising one of his grandfathers precious techniques - Ransōtengai. Manipulating strings of Reiryoku and Reishi to move the body, controlled by the mind, it was once used to help the elderly, injured or disabled to continue fighting. However he was low on Reiryoku and his body was too injured to keep taking in ambient Reishi; he needed to find somewhere to address his wounds and recover. Preferably soon.

As he stumbled away from the battlefield that was the Green Division, the Quincy froze up as a sudden, unexplainable feeling of dread overtook him. His eyes glanced to the source, and he paled.

He was no fool. He researched high-ranking members of the Twelve Divisions prior to invading so he could get a basic grasp of their abilities, and to use his intellect to his advantage. It was because of this knowledge that he instantly identified the woman at the end of the street, face adorned with a gentle smile and dark hair swishing with the wind. Her haori flapped about in the suddenly cold breeze, red obi standing out against the black.

''Why the pale face, Quincy-san?''

Summer Rose, Captain of the Red Division.

Translations:

Shimo = Frost.

Fuyu no Kiba = Winter's Fang.

Getsuga Tenshō = Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer.

Hinote = Hand of Fire.

Brazo Derecho de Gigante = Right Arm of the Giant.

El Directo = The Direct.

Moyasu = Burn.

Licht Regen = Light Rain.

Yūrei = Ghost.

Hirenkyaku = Flying Screen Step.

Shakkahō = Red Fire Cannon.

A/N: Uh oh, Ishida's screwed.

Hoped you liked the fight scenes - they went on for a decent length I think. Ichigo vs Weiss, Chad vs Yang and Ishida vs May.

So yeah, Chad's got a Shikai; so does Inoue, which will be seen later. Both will be pretty awesome in future, I'd like to think. I'm sure most of you foresaw Yang's style of Zanpakuto, but how many foresaw May's? I'm guessing not many. Weiss is probably in the middle.

Thanks to all who reviewed! And to the person who suggested the Wendigo-theme (a few chapters ago), again, a nice idea, but I've got a few other stories in the works after this one so I probably won't have the chance to write a fic like that. Nice idea though.

Till next time~